Twilight 2000 1st Edition/1996
January *January 12 - 116th Armored Calvalry Regiment (Idaho NG) alerted. March *March - Soviet 1st Guards Motorized Rifle Division brought up to strength. April *April 1 - 116th Armored Calvalry Regiment brought into federal service. *April 9 - Soviet spring offensive begins, off to a good start; the Soviet 23rd MRD participates. May *Late May **The Soviet offensive is in serious trouble. During the breakout from the Shenyang pocket, two East German divisions are used as a rear guard force; due to a communications foulup, they do not get the withdrawal orders in time and are overrun and destroyed; only a few hundred survivors make it back to the new lines. The Soviet and Warsaw Pact troops are hard pressed to keep their positions. June *Throughout June **Small group of senior officers in the East German Army open secret talks with a select group of counterparts in West Germany. *Mid June **National Emergency Council in Iran, in fear of several rebel factions and Soviet invasion, moves the capital from Tehran to Esfahan. *June 20 - Netherlands 4th MD alerted. *June 21 - Netherlands 4th MD brought to full strength. *June 23 - 9th Panzer Division formed in East Germany to replace the 9th destroyed in China. *Late June **Soviet Union mobilizes more of its forces, and makes a second call for troops from its Warsaw Pact allies. July *July **1st Commando Group, Royal Netherlands Marines sent to Norway under SACEUR. Flu plague in Grenada kills off 40,000 of the 120,000 residents in the first two weeks. *July 3- 1st Infantry Brigade (Arctic Recon) brought into federal service, assuming responsibility for local security and long range recon patrols in the Bering Straits. The 207th Infantry Group (scout), Alaskan NG, is brought into duty. *July 5 - 207th Infantry Group (scout) is redesignated the 2nd Infantry Brigade (Arctic Recon). *July 12 - East German 11th MRD is formed to replace the 11th lost in northern China, recruited mainly from the Leipzig-Altenbur-Karl Marx Stadt area. *July 15 - Netherlands 1st MD alerted. *July 17 - Netherlands 1st MD reaches full mobilization. August *Throughout August **116th Armored Cavalry Regiment deployed to Germany by air and sea under IX UC Corps. **2nd Infantry Brigade (Arctic Recon) assumes responsibility for local security in the Aleutians. *August 1 - 221st Military Police Brigade (US Army Reserve) is activated and deployed by sea to Hawaii to assume responsibility for security and traffic control around Pearl Harbor. *August 8 - British 19th Infantry Brigade formed at Circkhowell, England. *August 20 - 49th Military Police Brigade (California NG) is brought into federal service. *August 21 - 50th Armored Division (1st and 2nd New Jersey NG, 86th Vermont NG) and 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment (Tennessee NG) alerted. *August 23 - 35th Infantry Division (Mechanized) (67th Mechanized Nebraska NG, 69th Mechanized Kansas NG and 149th Kentucky NG) brought in federal service. *August 25 - 29th Infantry Brigade (Hawaii NG), 35th Engineer Brigade (Combat) (Missouri NG), 43rd Military Police Brigade (Rhode Island NG), 184th Transportation Brigade (Mississippi NG), 228th Signal Brigade (SC NG) and 30th Engineer Brigade (Combat) (NC NG) are brought into federal service. Setember *Throughout September **Soviet Union issues a third call for troops from Eastern Europe to support their war on China, to be ready to move by mid-October. *Setember 12 - Netherlands 5th Reserve MD activated. *Setember 14 - Netherlands 5th Reserve MD declared fully operational. *Setember 15 - British 4th Armoured Division formed at Salisbury. October *Throughout October **1st Calvalry Division at Fort Hood is brought up on alert. The 155th Armored Brigade (Mississippi National Guard) joins them. **5th Infantry Division brought up on alert and joined by 256th Mechanized Brigade. **7th Infantry Division brought up on alert. **25th Infantry Division (Light) brought up on alert. **6th Infantry Division (Light) at is put on alert, NG units added to it. **228th Signal Brigade is moved to , responsible for all military signal traffic in the 1st Army area. **The British Artillery Division is brought up to strength by addition of wartime reservists. *Early October **4th Infantry Division , 10th Infantry Division (Motorized), and 24th Infantry Division (Mechanized) alerted. 48th Mechanized Brigade (Georgia NG) joins the 24th Infantry Division. **3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment alerted. *October 2 - Netherlands 101st Reserve MB alerted. *October 5 - 4th Marine Division is mobilized at New Orleans. Netherlands 101st Reserve MB declared operational. *October 7 - West German Bundeswehr crosses the inter-German border and begins attacking Soviet garrison units still in the country; 1st, 3rd,5th, 10th and 12th Panzer Divisions and the 1st, 2nd, 4th and 11th Panzergrenadeir Divisions; the 4th immediately engages Soviet troops. The East German army does not interfere. The 15 Soviet divisions remaining put up resistance, and are joined by 2 divisions from Poland and 3 from Czechoslovakia. The Luftwaffe launches a series of long-range interdiction strikes, one of which against the Gliwice-Katowice complex in Silesia. Anti-aircraft sites and the Polish 337th Fighter Squadron decimate the German AF. The 5th Panzer Division and 2nd Panzergrenadier Division spearhead the assault and engage the Soviet forces almost immediately. Netherlands 1st and 4th MD move to the Dutch-German border. King Harald of Norway proclaims a state of emergency and calls upon the parliament to pass a string of emergency measures to keep Norway out of the war. *October 8 - The 1st and 3rd Panzer Divisions engage Soviet forces. 7th Panzer Division crosses the inter-German border. 1st Panzergrenadier Division engages Soviets in the Jena-Weimar area. The 11th Panzergrenadier Division engages Soviets along the Baltic coast. *October 9 - German 5th Panzer Division overruns and virutally destroys the Soviet 47th MRD. 7th Panzer Division engages Soviet forces. *October 10 - The Danish army undergoes general mobilization. The 6th Panzergrenadier Division enters East Germany as a reserve force. Canadian 1st Infantry Brigade is sent to Norway. *October 16 - German 2nd Panzergrenadier Division enters . *October 21 - Main part of the 2nd Armored Division is placed on alert. 4th Infantry Division deployed by air to Germany, under the V US Corps. *October 30 - Two East German tank divisions leave their barracks and attacks Soviet forces. November *Throughout November **Warsaw Pact forces counterattack against Germany; 1st Panzer Divsion takes heavy losses; 1st Panzergrenadier Division does well. **1st Calvary Division transported to Europe by air, coming under the command of the I Netherlands Corps. **6th Infantry Division deployed to Norway by air. **35th Infantry Division (Mechanized) deployed to Germany by sea and air,under III US Corps. **30th Engineer Brigade (Combat) is moved to , supporting units arriving in Virginia for overseas transport. **35th Engineer Brigade (Combat) moves to to support movement to the Chicago port of embarkation of overseas units. **43rd Military Police Brigade moved to , responsible for internal security and logistical movement. **49th Military Police Brigade is moved to and becomes responsible for traffic control in the port. **184th Transportation Brigade moves to and becomes responsible for logistical movement from the port. **With the entry of NATO forces into the war, a short-term panic occurs in the US. The sale of firearms, medical supplies, survival gear, tools and canned goods skyrocket. A New York Times poll shows that 76% of Americans believe there will be a nuclear war within six weeks. **Shortages of survival-related durable goods are a national problem in the US. A steady climb in the crime rate, especially in metropolitian areas, happens but local authorities are able to cope. **Soviet Marines occupy part of for three weeks, but NATO naval and air forces foil attempts to reinforce them and they are eventually driven out. *early November **3rd Calvalry Regiment begins to deploy by air to Europe, under the V US Corps. *November 1 - 49th Armored Division (1st, 2nd and 3rd National Guard Brigades of Texas) are brought into federal service and moved to Chicago. 50th Armored Division enters federal service. 42nd Infantry Division enters federal service. 10th Infantry Division transported to Norway by air. 28th Infantry Division (2nd, 55th and 56th Pennsylvania NG) comes into federal service. 38th Infantry Division (2nd Indiana NG, 46th Michigan NG, 76th Indiana NG) comes into federal service. 40th Infantry Division (Mechanized), of 1st,2nd and 3rd California NG, is brought into federal service. 47th Infantry Division (1st Minnesota NG, 34th Iowa NG and 66th Illinois NG Brigades) comes into federal service, and begins deployment by air and sea to , to replace the 6th Infantry Division (Light) of internal security duties. 163rd Armored Cavalry Regiment enters federal service. 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment enters federal service. 6th Marine Regiment of the 2nd Marine Division is deployed by air to Denmark, and from there to Norway. British 1st Royal Marine Brigade deployed to Norway, along with a detachment from the Canadian Airborne Regiment. The Soviets invade Norway. *November 5 - 26th Infantry Division (Light) (1st,2nd Massachucetts NG and 43rd Connecticut NG) comes into Federal service. *November 7 - 4th Marine Division becomes fully operational and is transported by sea to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. *November 10 - US Convoy 102 is attacked by a Soviet sub in the North Sea, sinking 3 ships and crippling another; the nuclear guided missile cruiser USS Virginia sinks the sub. *Mid November **2nd Armored Division begins to be transferred by air to Germany, under the command of the 7th US Army. **US 10th Infantry Division, along with the Norwegian 3rd, 5th and 10th Regiments and the Norwegian 2nd Dragoon Regiment enters combat against Soviet troops in the Bardufoss region of Norway, blunting the Soviet drive toward Narvik and allowing Norwegian and NATO forces to deploy. **The Soviet 50th Guards Motorized Rifle Division, which spearheaded the invasion, takes heavy casualities. *November 15 - 2 Czech divisions and 4 Polish divisions arrive in East Germany to battle West German troops. *November 17 - Maximum extent of the Soviets in Norway, reaching the area between Narvik and Bardufoss. *November 19 - East German 4th MRD engages Polish forces, executing a well-timed flank attack against elements of the 2nd Polish Army in the Karl Marx Stadt area. East German 1st MRD engages Warsaw Pact forces. *November 25 - East German 11th MRD engages Warsaw Pact forces and is heavily damaged. *November 28 – The West German and East German governments announce the reunification of Germany. *November 30 - III US Corps HQ becomes operational in Germany. 1st Calvary Division and 2nd Armored Division are put under their control, as well as the 3rd Armored Calvalry Regiment. East German 9th Panzer Division enters the field. December *Throughout December **5th Infantry Division deployed by air and sea to Germany under III Army Corps. **6th Infantry Division battles Soviet troops in northern Norway, along with the NATO reinforcements of the British 2nd Paras, the British 2nd/Royal Green Jackets and the US 4th Marine Amphibious Brigade. **2nd Marine Regiment (reinforced) is deployed to Norway by air and sea. **Soviets invade Iran, with support by the Tudeh Popular Mobilization Army; the 164th and 261st Motorized Rifle Divisions are some of the forces. **The Soviet Transcaucasus Air Army conventially bombs the airstrip at Lordegan, Iran, mostly superficial damage. **Soviets activate the 40th Guards Motorized Rifle Division and the 107th Motorized Rifle Division. **NATO air forces establish superiority over the Poles; the oil fields and refineries near Uscie Solne are conventially bombed and the Polish Air Force fades from the skies. **1st Royal Marine Brigade and US 4th Marine Amphibious Brigade block the forward spearheads of the Soviet 18th Army in Norway. **The Royal Hussars invade East Germany. **1st Commando Group, Royal Netherlands Marines battle Red Army forces near Bardufoss, Norway. By the end of the month, the Soviets are driven halfway between Bardufoss and the border. **American units drive towards Dresden, spearheaded by the German 1st Panzergrenadier Division. *early December - 35th Infantry Division engages in combat in northern Germany. *December 1 - 1st Calvary Division moves into West Germany. *December 2 - 11th Armored Calvalry Regiment crosses the inter-German border. Start of V US Corps’ initial offensive into eastern Germany. East German 9th Panzer Division engages Soviet forces. *December 3 - 2nd Armored Division, 2nd Armored Calvalry Regiment and 3rd Infantry Division crosses into East Germany. The 107th Armored Cavalry Regiment (Ohio NG) is placed on alert. *December 4 - 1st Infantry Division crosses into East Germany. Canadian 1st Infantry Brigade engages Soviet forces in the Tromso-Bardufoss area. *December 5 - 1st and 3rd Armored Division, and 8th Infantry Division crosses the inter-German border. 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment engages the Soviet forces. Rumania, having repeatedly refused to honor its Warsaw Pact obligations, is given at ultimatum by the Soviets. British 5th Mechanised Division is formed from the 5th British Field Force and used as internal security in England. *December 6 - 1st Armored Division involved in combat with Soviet forces. *December 7 - 2nd Armored Division, 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment and 3rd Infantry Division involved in combat with Soviet forces. 4th Infantry Division enters East Germany. The 107th Armored Calvalry Regiment is brought into federal service. *December 8 - 1st Infantry Division engages the Soviets. *December 9 - British 3rd Armoured Division crosses the inter-German border, along with the 5th Inniskilling Dragoon Guards and the Canadian 4th Mechanized Brigade. *December 10 - 1st Calvary Division crosses into East Germany. 8th Infantry Division engages Soviets. British 1st and 2nd Armoured Divisions cross the inter-German border. British 3rd Armoured Division engages Soviets. *December 11 - 3rd Armored Division and 4th Infantry Division involved in combat with Soviet forces. *December 12 - Canadian 4thMechanised Brigade, US 3rd Armored Calvalry Regiment and British 1st and 2nd Armoured Divisions engage Soviet forces. *December 15 - 1st Calvary Division involved in combat with Soviet forces. *December 19 - 2nd Infantry Division begins engaging against North Korean commando units. *December 20 - Hungarian, Bulgarian, and Soviet troops begin invading Rumania. Rumania formally withdraws from the Warsaw Pact, declares war on the three nations, and applies to NATO. 2nd Panzergrenadier Division captures Leipzig. *December 21 - Yugoslavia sends 3 divisions and 5 brigades in support of Rumania. *December 23 - Yugoslavia military joins Rumanian forces at the front. NATO offers full membership to Yugoslavia and Rumania, which they accept. German 3rd Panzer Division becomes the 1st German Army unit to enter Berlin. *December 24 - Turkish 1st Army launches offensive against a thin Bulgarian covering force in Thrace. NATO forces reach the outskirts of Berlin, and the British 1st Corps relieves the beseiged NATO forces there after a week of bitter street fighting, the Second Battle of Berlin. Category:Twilight 2000 1st Edition